Ok, so I’ve been meaning to do this for a long while! You guys must know by now that Not yet is my favorite AKB subunit because it includes my 2 top members, Oshima Yuko and Yokoyama Yui <3 On top of that it also includes the always hilarious Sasshi and the gorgeous, quirky and kind Kitarie so it’s win all around With that said, I’ve been dying to review this single ever since it came out, but I haven’t had the time for various reasons. The PV is my favorite idol PV so far this year, it’s simply fantastic and super well done IMO, so I’ll review it with a million screencaps sometime soon, hopefully xD

However, the reason why I like Not yet other than the fact that all of its members are in my top 10 is the fact that I really like the songs they get, I find them pretty and the lyrics are always able to put a smile on my face I never got around to reviewing Shuumatsu, their debut single, although I loved it to bits, so I want to strike the iron while it’s hot and do it with Naminori Kakigoori before it slips away from everybody’s mind

Naminori Kakigoori was the second single release by AKB subunit Not yet formed by the following members:

Oshima Yuko ace of Team K and center of the group

Yokoyama Yui the new star of Team K

Sashihara Rino of Team A, known for her Hetare (useless) character and quirky blog posts

Kitahara Rie of Team B, known for being Sasshi’s best friend and partner in crime xD

The single was released on July 6th, and its theme is summer! I’ll review all of the tracks and provide lyrics translations as well because I feel like they are an important part of the reason why I like the songs so much

Naminori Kakigoori achieved the No. 1 weekly position having sold 156000 copies on its first week, coming just 3k short of their debut single. I don’t know the overall sales so far though so if anyone could let me know I would really appreciate it!

1. Naminori Kakigoori (Surfing Shaved Ice):

Here are the lyrics translation courtesy of STUDIO48 and loveandcoffee

Surfing and shaved ice
Are the things you like the most
As the third thing
Please fall in love with me

Your skilled board
Sliding on the blue see
Has forgotten
The beach

I wave my hands at you widely
But you don’t notice me at all
You’re a free
Flying fish

I pretend I’m a little sulky
And flip over my love
My back will get sunburnt
Because a certain someone isn’t here
To help me apply sun oil

Surfing and shaved ice
Are the things you like the most
You don’t notice
Anything else at all
Surfing and shaved ice
Are the things you like the most
As the third thing
Please fall in love with me
Before summer is over…

You’re finally back
With your hair wet
And you look
Very pleased with yourself

You laugh
As you eat melon flavoured shaved ice
You kind of irk me a little

You’re surrounded by the things you love
You’re happy, aren’t you?
You’re like a little boy…
I voiced my sarcastic remark
To the sun in the sky…

Waiting a ton of time on my own
What’s gonna happen to the two of us?
When I look back,
I feel so lonely
Waiting a ton of time on my own
What’s gonna happen to the two of us?
I feel uneasy when you’re not here
Please remember the third thing…
Surfing,
Shaved ice…
I wonder what do they
Have in common

Maybe I’m not enough?
Am I not enough?
But see, I don’t mind
If I’m not your number one favourite…

Surfing and shaved ice
Are the things you like the most
You don’t notice
Anything else at all
Surfing and shaved ice
Are the things you like the most
As the third thing
Please fall in love with me
Before summer is over…

So, as you can see, even though it’s an upbeat summery tune it’s actually a sad song about a girl who knows that she isn’t her boyfriend’s first priority but she still loves him so she tries to stay with him despite of this. This tradition of upbeat music but bittersweet lyrics is a classic in AKB’s discography, and it think it paints an interesting contrast, I also like how the song isn’t overly gloomy or melodramatic either lyrics wise, it keeps the whole scene it paints quite light hearted. Music wise, this time the song is a lot faster than Shuumatsu Not yet and it also gives every girl solo lines, which are very much welcome! The song is very poppy although it has some sparkly sounding elements (reminiscent of Kakigoori?) and some guitars. I like the stacatto sound of the interlude a lot since it makes it stand out.

Rating: 5/5

2. Vermeer no Tegami (Vermeer’s Letter):

Lyrics translation by me, keep in mind that I’m not fluent in japanese but I try my best xD If you spot any mistakes, feel free to let me know about them, thanks!

On the table there are figs
ripening without noticing it
even though their sweet scent is inviting
somehow I can’t reach out my hand…

Only by
loving you
I’m causing someone else to be unhappy
I avert my gaze suddenly
and look for relief in
the light that comes through the window
Forgive me for this love…

I wonder what was written
in Vermeer’s letter
somehow my current self
understands it…
Even though I know that that moment was a mistake
I don’t have regrets about our unexpected meeting
My destiny

There are precious things
that disappear when you touch them with your fingers
if that happens then I’d rather close my eyes
and not see anything anymore

I know that I
don’t have the requirements
to love you
my room gets darker
everything
becomes the same under the blindfold
of love’s pain

Without even writing a reply to
Vermeer’s letter
my pure white stationary
represents the feelings in my heart
I can’t betray someone I don’t know
instead of hurting her
I’ll turn this into a memory
Your destiny

There are fruits
whose flowers don’t bloom
but secretly open
when the night comes
I will certainly remember
just like the bright sunlight
love is a memory

I wonder what was written
in Vermeer’s letter
somehow my current self
understands it…
Even though I know that that moment was a mistake
I don’t have regrets about our unexpected meeting
My destiny

So, first things first. This song is the standard B-side that came with all the types of the CD. The song was the theme of a Museum Exhibit called “Vermeer’s Love Letter” in Kyoto, which is probably where the title and theme of the song come from. Vermeer was a dutch painter, famous for his “Girl with a Pearl Earring” painting, but he also had a painting called “The Love Letter” which depicted a young woman getting a love letter, with imagery that suggests a tempestuous love (read the whole thing at wiki here). This is all important because the lyrics of the song tell a story about a girl who has a love affaire with a guy who is committed to someone else, the girl of the song realizes that she can’t hurt somebody else just because of her selfish feelings and decides to cut it off even though it saddens her. This way, she says she understands what was written in Vermeer’s Letter, maybe alluding to the fact that the letter might have been addressed to some guy’s mistress (this last part is my interpretation of it though) and she’s going to write a reply to it to put an end to their romance.

As it happens often with Akimoto’s lyrics they paint a very specific scene, and I think it’s pretty awesome how he managed to come up with a story that was fitting for the painting in question, without stretching things too much. It’s quite a grown up song too, which surprised me considering how the lyrics of their previous songs have been normal idol stuff.

Ok, so now, the musical part. This song is a ballad, and it has a bit of a dramatic undertone to it, especially during the verses. There’s a very interesting accordion (or something like that) arrangement that gives it its distinct flavor and saves it from just being another random idol ballad, but it isn’t enough to make it stand out particularly. Actually, I’ve heard it described as “museum music” xD which might have been what Akimoto was looking for? I think it’s relaxing and pretty but not much more than that.

Musically, this song sounds honestly a bit country, I like to think of it as Kokoro no Hashi no Sofa’s little sister because of its similar lyrics and music style Lyrically, it’s nothing to write home about, the usual friendship song, with some really cute lyrics and metaphors (the mirror one was pretty adorable IMO).

It’s perfect for making you cheer up if you’re feeling gloomy and remind you that you’re not alone, and it’s quite catchy in its simplicity!

Yokoyama Yui has a high pitched timbre, but I’d argue that she’s the best singer in the unit. She’s proven to be quite good live (listen to her cover of Ikimonogakari’s Bluebird) if you can tolerate her sweet voice xD and she works pretty well in the group because the rest of the girls have significantly lower registers.

Now, moving on to Sashihara Rino, she has an average voice, but she’s good at hitting all the right notes and can harmonize properly. I was actually pleasantly surprised to hear her solo lines in this single, even though I’ve never thought she’s bad, I used to find her voice very non descript, but she’s improved and now sounds clearer.

Last is Kitahara Rie. God knows I love Kitarie to death, she’s my second favorite Team B member, and she could do no wrong in my eyes until I heard her solo line in the a capella chorus here. Seriously, she was all over the place, her voice sounded kinda shaky and not right. I wish I knew more about music so I could point out exactly what was it that bothered me but uhh…  It might have to do with the fact that the song is a bit higher than their other stuff so she strains a bit. Anyway. girl needs singing lessons, because she’s amazing and all, but even when she’s harmonizing she’ll go off tune at times and stick out. And this is the recording so, yeah. Kitarie, I love you to death, but please take singing lessons ;_; all of them could use them, really, so that they harmonize better and not clash, because Yuko, Sasshi and Rie’s voices are quite similar and it really stands out when one of them isn’t getting it right.

Anyway, great song, I could definitely see this being a stage song, which is great in my book

Musically, I’ve heard people call it generic, but I actually quite like it and think it’s very catchy and melodic! It has a nice upbeat pace and nice and different verses that make it stand out. My favorite part is the bridge and how it leads to an almost a capella chorus to pick up the genki pace afterwards. Actually, it reminds me a bit of SKE’s music, because of the high energy and the fast pace. I just really hope I can watch a performance of this song at the next AX or anywhere, really. Should I vote for it? I was planning on voting for Korogaru Ishi ni Nare and ALIVE but hmmm… I like this song too much! I’ll figure it out when the time comes, I guess

Rating: 5/5

Overall Rating 4,5/5: Naminori Kakigoori is a very solid effort by the girls of Not yet that proves why they are the best selling sub unit of AKB (lol not really, that’s just because of their popularity but this was great anyway :P) Despite Shuumatsu Not yet not leaving a very good impression in a big chunk of the english speaking fanbase, they completely turned it around this time with a refreshing summer A-side and original B-sides that ranged from ballads to country and that were very well written, lyrics wise. To be honest, I feel like it was one of Akimoto’s better recent efforts, reminiscent of the lyrics of old stage songs, and I was incredibly happy to find out when I translated them, it definitely made it MUCH better to me, because I’m  nerd who likes to overanalyze idol lyrics 8B

The PV of the A-side also set them aside from their debut, where people were quite disappointed at the dance shot/close up format. I will review the PV and DVDs that came with the CDs next time

Even though they didn’t manage to sell more than their debut single, I was glad to see them performing everywhere and their events looked like a lot of fun! And with good reason, because Yuko, Rie and Sasshi are great at MCing and generally entertaining a crowd, and Yuko surfing was super badass!

So, all in all, I think this was a great release and I would recommend you guys to pick it up if you can, you won’t regret it! It’s idol pop at its finest and great for the summer! My entire holiday at the sea consisted pretty much of me humming Naminori Kakigoori, Bokutachi no Offshore and Ningyo no Vacance from AKB’s latest album (which I also want to review, but we’ll see).

See you next time for PV + DVD extras! As usual all comments are much appreciated

EDIT: Sorry about the spacing issues, I tried to fix them 10 times and no luck. Gah. Wordpress hates me and I’m totally dumb at this kind of stuff so please bear with me.

Ok, people, I honestly haven’t payed much attention to Acchan’s new single, so I figured it would be a good time to review it!

Maeda Atsuko - Flower

So, this is the day that the whole AKB fandom was pretty much expecting, where the top ace of the group would finally get her solo single and prove everyone what she’s made of.

So let’s see how did this single fare for me.

1. Flower: The title track, and also a theme song for the movie Acchan starred in, Moshidora. The song is a sweet laidback mid tempo tune, which greatly highlights Acchan’s sweet voice. The backing vocals are very good and help the song feel fuller. The PV for the song was a little story that I couldn’t understand very well xD We see Acchan and a little girl (presumably a little sister) embarking on a journey to meet their ill mother, but then when they meet the mom, the little girl becomes Acchan or something. It’s quite weird, but that’s nice because it makes people comment and leaves things a bit open to the viewer’s interpretation.

Rating: 4/5

2. Kono Mune no Melody: Moving on to the main B-side of the single, this one is a bit more upbeat and kind of rocky sounding. The instrumentation is very rich, however, I find myself not liking Acchan’s voice as much here, it loses a bit of its sweet quality when she sings in a powerful way and the amount of vibrato in the chorus doesn’t sound so good to me. I’m also not a big fan of the falsetto either, especially in the little a capella-ish chorus, it sounds as if she’s struggling. Anyway, good change of pace from Flower, but not that good of a song by itself.

Rating 3/5

3. Hoozue to Caffè Macchiatto: This song is the exclusive B-side of the Act 1 version of the single. The first time I heard it I thought it was kinda dull, but now that I’m listening to it more closely, I think it’s a beautiful song. A nostalgic ballad, it highlights Acchan’s voice very well, she’s really at her best singing slow paced songs IMO. I like this song a bit better than Flower because I feel like this one is more melodic, although Flower’s chorus is catchier.

Rating: 4/5

4. Yoake Made: Another ballad, this one is the B-side that comes with Act 2. It’s a bit happier in tone than Caffè Machiatto, and I like the little flute arrangement in the instrumental break. The chorus is very soothing, and Acchan sounds great, even with the falsettos.

Rating: 3/5

5. la Brea Ave: The Bside of the Act 3 version is actually my favorite song of the single. It’s a bit more upbeat, but they get it right this time xD Acchan’s vocals sound very nice, and the rockish instrumental and guitar riffs are quite nice! I can totally imagine her singing this live with a band! Definitely a great song, and one of the best *48 songs in a while.

Rating: 5/5

6. Brunch wa Blueberry: The song that comes with the Theater Version of the single. With this one we get a synth-y intro, and a laid back song with a bit of a reggae-ish feeling to it (lol it’s totally not, but I don’t know how else to describe it). It’s refreshing to hear it because it’s different to the other songs. My problem with it is that I hear a lot of synths everywhere, and I’m not too fond of that.

Rating: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.6

Acchan’s debut single is just what it should be, a collection of sweet songs to match her gentle character. The songs are very well done, and beautifully arranged for the most part.

Her vocals have improved greatly, but she still has a long way to go, and it also applies to her live performances, where she has often looked a bit shy or scared, I’m sure she’ll get there in time, and especially with the support of all the other girls, who love her a lot and the support of the fans as well I can only foresee great things in the future for Acchan and I definitely want to see where is she going to go next.

The extra DVD contents of the single deserve a special mention, because they included a 30 minutes long making of the Flower video (which I didn’t watch, not gonna lie. I just wasn’t that interested in the video, and I only have limited time, so yeah), a cut from the photoshoot where she picks some clothes (none of them are of my liking, but Acchan looks beautiful as always, and she’s a pro when it comes to posing <3) and an extra mini documentary about Acchan’s story within AKB, which I found interesting because we finally get to see the rumored footage from the A2 finale, where they asked the girls to express what was frustrating to them or what bothered them about the stage, and we can see Maeda really breaking down and crying because of the pressure of being almost a soloist in Nagisa no Cherry. I had wanted to see that so that bit piqued my interest.

The rest of the documentary is the same story we’ve all heard a million times: She’s just a normal girl, she didn’t choose to be the center, but she was still presented with that position, doing her best at it even though she has many antis (I was a bit shocked to see the footage of the first election when they call second place and a lot of people are screaming “MAEDA MAEDA” while she’s sitting right there. Wow. Harsh.)

Personally, I don’t think I’ll be following Acchan’s solo career closely or anything. I’m not the biggest ballad fan, and while they are beautiful and fit her style perfectly, they’re just not my cup of tea.

Hi everyone! So, a lot of stuff has been happening with AKB lately, actually, there’s so much stuff going on that I can barely keep up -_- so I wasn’t able to post each of this news in a huge-wall-of-text as I usually do haha. However, they are important, so I wanted to comment on them anyway!

1. Everyday Katyusha AKB48 new single is being released this wednesday!: Yikes. I can’t believe I didn’t post anything about this, but it’s better late than ever right? AKB’s newest single, featuring their largest senbatsu in a while (the usual people plus Kuramochi Asuka, Ota Aika, Yokoyama Yui, Masuda Yuka, Yamamoto Sayaka, Watanabe Miyuki, Kikuchi Ayaka, Sato Sumire, Miyazaki Miho). At first I shook my head thinking “lol another hair accessory summery song wtf” but then I listened to the preview and fell in love <3 I’ll do a micro review so you know which copy you should buy :3

Type A:

• Everyday Katyusha (Everyday Headband): The title track of the single, and my favorite AKB A-side since Beginner. A super happy, bouncy and light song, featuring beautiful harmonies and a catchy as hell chorus. The reason why I love this song so so so much it’s because it sounds a lot like the classic idol songs from the 80s! I’m a huge fan of Onyanko Club so it definitely made me happy to hear the song! Gah, it’s just beautiful! <3
• PV wise, it’s interesting since it’s a *gasp* bikini PV but the director tried to pay homage to their previous videos by including lots of scenes reminiscent of their previous singles. What I liked about this is the fact that they included the Defstar era singles as well! <3 There are 2 alternate versions, the dance version which isn’t a dance shot but like leftover footage and it’s totally cute and makes you want to go to the beach, and the drama version which is just emo Acchan fest

• Korekara Wonderland (From here on it’s Wonderland): This one had me on the fence for a while haha. The lineup is the usual senbatsu minus the Matsuis plus Yokoyama Yui, and the song is super funky and disco! Very fun and danceable, I love it, but it might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
• PV wise it’s amazing It features the girls getting ready for a show backstage in a kind of circus set, their outfits are very extravagant and Acchan looks like Willy Wonka. What’s not to love?

• Hito no Chikara (The Power of People): This one is a very sweet song, kind of acoustic driven pop-rock number. I like it because it simply sounds adorable <3 It features a huge UG+TG line up and I like how it worked as a great cheer up song, very fitting!
• PV wise it’s about the girls building a… omg english why do you fail me? One of those cars that appear in parades and carnivals haha. It’s very cute and heartwarming!

Type B:

• Yankee Soul: This is the different song in Type B, and it works as the opening for the Majisuka Gakuen 2 drama AKB is starring right now, about a yankee high school and their struggle for power. It’s pretty catchy, although it deviates from the slightly harder sound of its predecessors.
• PV: It’s basically the intro of the drama. Pretty basic actually.

2. Acchan is going to release a solo single “Flower” on 6/22:

So, we all knew Acchan was gonna get a solo debut (also LOL because I remember an Acchan fan complaining that Acchan had been “shafted” out of Not yet and I was like O_O dude, do you even realize who are you talking about?) It was just a matter of time, and since she’s starring in the Moshidora movie (which is about baseball so there’s a 99% chance I won’t ever watch it :P) it’s a perfect opportunity to make her sing the theme song and debut her as a soloist. Her debut song is a ballad, which is enough to make me not buy the single I’m sure she’ll do great and sell a ton, and I hope she gets a lovely PV and well, I’ll wait until I listen to the whole thing before passing judgement on it, but even though I adore Acchan I just won’t buy a ballad single (unless it’s Sakamoto Maaya <3)

3. Acchan is going to star in HanaKimi revival:

Ehh… I really don’t watch dramas but apparently this was pretty famous and also a HUGE deal that she got this role, so I’m happy for her I don’t think I’ll watch it, but I’m glad that her acting career is taking off. Some people screamed “Graduation!” but I wouldn’t be so sure about it. I think it greatly depends on the result she gets in the upcoming elections, and I think she’ll get number 1 position back (though I wish Yuko would keep hers tbqh) so we’ll have to wait and see

4. New no3b single announced for 06/29 “kuchibiru furezu”

So after their great “Answer” single no3b has announced their next release! Yay! According to the girls it’s a cute song. Could this mean that they are going back to their Relax/Tane era? *___* I hope so!

5. Watanabe Mayu releases photobook

So, finally, Team B’s center and Watarirouka Hashiritai lead singer released her first photobook! It was full of cuteness and of course, swimsuits, with special focus in what she defines as one of her best assets (pun intended 8D) her butt. Currently, her PB holds the record for the best selling female photobook dethroning Hamasaki Ayumi (!) in the process and grabbing the 3rd position in the Oricon Top Weekly for books. Good for Shiriri!

So that’s that for now *wipes forehead* see you next time for even MOAR incoherent babbling and screencap fest of Not yet

I have been planning to post about this for the longest time xD I never really got around to doing it, but it’s never to late to gush about my favorite idol group ever, isn’t it?

So, without further ado, I give you… The most amazing Promotional Video in the history of idols!

Shuumatsu Not Yet!!! (first version) because there’s another version that comes with the Type B single.

so the PV starts with a lovely piano intro and a shoot of the girls shoes Which are sneakers! This is important, see, because Yuko LOVES sneakers! she was raving in her blog about how happy she was she could wear sneakers for this subgroup xD

After that, the actual song starts, with a BIG JUMP! Yuko is the one who jumps the highest, which is no surprise, really since she’s so athletic <3

YAY MULTI COLORED LIGHTS!

Haha Kitarie is SO into the dance! She’s amazing <3 And possibly dethroning Tomo~mi-chan as my Team B Oshi *gasp*

This screencap looks very awkward xD However, Yuko is still very awesome. She’s still the most amazing girl on Earth. I think the reason why her eyes look so funky is because the mascara they used on the girls lower lashes makes Yuko’s rather big eyes look strange, like they are melting or something xD She’s still gorgeous though <3

Idek why but whenever I see Yui I just got D’awwww in my mind She’s so pretty and adorable, and just so HAPPY to be there at all <3

Yes Sasshi Let’s CHUU SHIYOUZE! and yes, I’m aware that is grammatically incorrect in two languages

I think Kitarie rocks the weird make up the most, although they all look gorgeous, shiny and idol-y

I just had to include this screencap because it’s adorable <3

I really really love these outfits! They are super idol-y but beautifully colorful and playful at the same time. I also adore the background, it reminds me of the school I used to go when I was little, the windows were all shaped like that, and I remember thinking how great they conveyed the feeling of “light” (no, I don’t really know what I’m talking about either 8D)

Another Yui screencap because, frankly, this girl makes me happy. And she also got me updating the blog again xD I mean, Yuko is and forever will be my number one, and I love all of the AKB girls (KKS included as of this week :D) but I hadn’t had a *squee* mushy feel in my chest in SO long (like, ever since Yurina from Berryz a million years ago lol). Yuko is definitely a different type of idol for me, while Yuko makes me happy, she seems to always be in control of the situation, she’s a pro, and she makes me go “Damn, she’s so cool and awesome” all the time. While Yui is simply *squee* worthy. I mean, just look at her. She’s amazing because she works so hard and is so thrilled to be given a chance to shine and just D’awww

I love Sasshi, I’ve gushed about her all over the internet xD but I have to agree with the AKB stylist who gave her the odd bright pink outfit in Enjou Rosen, she does look a little too pale with this yellow outfit, but still beautiful!<3

Kitarieeeee! she looks exactly like she did in the other screencap but lol

These guys were what made some people dislike the PV, they said they were too weird to be backdancers, and while I agree that they are kinda creepy they add to the wacky atmosphere idol PVs have sometimes

I know nothing about dancing, but I think this choreography was pretty cool, and it looked a bit more demanding than what AKB usually does for their singles! I didn’t know that Sasshi was such a good dancer, and I was positively surprised by how Yui managed to keep up with her senpais even though she’s relatively new!

Here we have a costume change, and the girls get dressed in these poofy idol-y get ups! I know a lot of people hated it, but I thought they were amazing xD I like the sexy sentai suits better (zettai ryouiki! hmmm yeah baby!) but the idol-y look isn’t half bad to me

Here’s a cute solo shot of Sasshi making a countdown motion with her fingers, since the song is about a couple that can only meet on weekends, they count the days left to see each other in anticipation. It’s a really cute song and I can definitely relate to it <3

It’s not the best Yuko pose ever, but it shows the head piece a little better. It’s a tulle flower thingy, and works surprisingly well with the rest of the outfit!

Yui’s smile is so cute! <3 and wide! haha

I remember that this Rie close up literally made me squee the first time I watched the PV It’s super standard idol posing 101, but it was so adorable

I like this shot, Sasshi looks so excited! I was actually quite surprised when I saw the second outfits for the PV, but since it’s the colombian flag, I’m ok with it 8D

Yuko is outdancing the rest of them so badly Even though it’s pretty clear that she’s the center of the group and stuff, I’m glad that all the girls get solo lines in the single’s songs and close ups and stuff. No major shafting going on here!

They have a little dance break in the middle, and it’s a cool effect because they move between takes of their poofy idol-y outfits and the sentai outfits

shimmy shake! lol what I find nice is that in the other version of the PV, they also have these takes that go between the 2 outfits It’s like it joins the two PVs together.

The cute little hat!

Yay! Ok, I’m gonna stop now because I’m getting more and more random with every post and I’m simply fangirling without providing any interesting insight on anything at all xD

I loved the PV! And everyone hated on it lol. It was kind of strange for AKB to go in the Dance Shot/Close Up route, but I felt like the dance was good, the girls were cute and the colors of the set were very pleasant to the eye. I loved the outfits, and the backdancers are just the LOL moment every jpop PV needs to have

Since I’ve delayed this entry so much, now I can announce you that Not yet’s next single “Naminori Kakigoori” (Surfing Snow Cone) is going to be released this july! Yay! The girls have teased us with a few pics from the shooting in their blogs, and it was shot at a beach with a ton of extras in summer beachy wear! It’s amazing, and makes me wish I could go to the beach as well ;_; So yeah, please support Not yet  and consider buying their new single!

Oh, and I’m actually planning to review the single, the other version of the PV and the mini movie and mini documentaries in the DVD. I don’t know when will that happen but IT WILL! I <3 Not yet!

Hello everybody!

Today I bring good news! AKB48’s latest single Sakura no Ki ni Narou has sold 655,344 on its first day of sales!

That makes it the highest ever first day sales ever since Oricon started tracking first day sales An amazing record too!

Obviously I’m super proud of the girls for this achievement, and I hope we can get our second million seller soon ^o^ I preordered all versions (yes, even theater version lol) so I can’t wait until they get here so I can celebrate!

In the mean time, I’ll give you a mini review of the single:

1. Sakura no Ki ni Narou (I’ll become a cherry tree): This is the stereotypical Sakura ballad that AKB releases every year since like 2008. This year, the catch is that the song isn’t sung in the usual AKB style of many girls singing together, but instead they are divided in pairs, trios and there are solo lines for Acchan. This is a minor change, but it already gives it a much different sound from most of AKB’s singles.

The song is a very pretty ballad, and the PV features only Jurina, Acchan, Yuko, Tomochin, Haruna and Takamina. The story is that Jurina was a classmate they had back when they were in school, but she passed away. They have all moved on to their lives, and doing different things, but Jurina has never left them alone and has been watching over them all the time. It’s a very sweet PV and the storyline in very touching. The downside is that we don’t get to see any of the other senbatsu members much :/

2. Guuzen no Juujiro (Crossroad of  Chance)~ Undergirls: The B side is also a typical UG song xD Very upbeat and cute, and reminiscent of Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara and Boku Dake no Value. However, I really love the arrangement on the song, especially the guitar riff makes it stand out quite a bit from the other songs. This song is guaranteed to make you feel good and put a smile on your face

The PV is amazing because my oshi no. 2 Yokoyama Yui is center /bias no, just kidding, but it is pretty cute! We see the 3 main girls (Yui, Kimoto Kanon of SKE’s Team E and Lovetan) widing their bikes to school and doing typical school things xD while 3 boys look at them from afar and daydream of them it’s very cute! And we get a Togasaki cameo! Along with Meetan xD It’s a very nice PV and song all in all!

3. Kiss Made 100 Mile (100 miles to the Kiss) ~ MINT (A version): So, MINT makes a comeback. Yay? Personally I’m excited since Tomo~mi and Haachan are in my top 5, I like Acchan, Moeno and Sakiko too, but seriously? This was just weird, now I’m wondering if they are going to keep releasing MINT stuff with every single, why not make them debut as a subunit already? Anyway, enough of that. This song is absolutely sweet and girly <3 pure pop too!

The PV features the girls having a reunion party of MINT (I think…) and everyone is wearing costumes and just being happy all through the video. It’s pretty cute, except I want to kill whoever did Sakiko’s make up.

4. Area K ~ DIVA (B version): DIVA is back too! yay! Only this time they are really fiercing it up! While Nakeru Basho was a beautiful song, I wanted to see DIVA tackle on something more upbeat and rockish, and while I didn’t get rock, Area K is a very nice song! Danceable and stuff 8D Also, the vocals are amazing! As expected from DIVA!

The PV is definitely the best of the single IMO. We watch the DIVA girls all wearing amazing trashy clothes and make up as they arrive a secret club, where they have a dance battle and generally party around with some really weird people xD It’s better than it sounds though, I promise!

5. Ougon Center ~ Team Kenkyuusei (Theater Version): Another change we keep, this time from Chance no Junban, it’s an original song by Team Kenkyuusei in the Theater version! This is pretty cool, since they deserve it after all their hard work, and they are also the ones who keep the theater alive with their performances! This time, their song is pretty amazing xD It’s very… hmmm.. how to say it, funky sounding! Also sounds a bit like an anime opening hehe. It’s a really fun song about how they are working hard in order to become part of a Team one day, and senbatsu and center. And it also includes the mix in the lyrics. Insta-win!

To wrap it up, I’ll leave you guys with a live performance of Sakura no Ki ni Narou Team K version. The catch is: Yui is center! ;_; My baby ;_; she’s so amazing!

Sakura no Ki ni Narou Team K Version

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And I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t post Not Yet news, right? 8D

well, their song Shuumatsu not Yet was released on Valentine’s Day in recochoku for download and in 2 days they got the weekly 1# in chaku-uta!!! Congrats girls!

Also,the last time this happened was 5 years ago with EXILE’s “Tada.. Aitakute”

Can’t wait for the release date!